As sizes of logic circuits and memory devices decreases together with a decrease in the operating Voltages, a decreasing amount of charge is stored in MOSFET devices and memory cells. For example in ultra low power devices, for example a static random access memory device (SRAM), requires periodic refresh signals to retain stored data where the ratio of standby current (Isb) to drive current (Idr) is a critical design parameter in low power devices to enable proper functioning.
Another increasingly important performance and reliability problem in logic and memory devices as device sizes decrease is the problem of latchup in logic devices and error rates in memory devices, also referred to as a soft error rate (SER). Latchup and SER may be caused by alpha ray or cosmic rays, for example the cosmic rays secondarily producing neutrons in the atmosphere, that create undesirable electrical charges (electron/hole pairs) upon passing through or near the device. The alpha or cosmic ray produced charge interferes with the proper functioning of a logic or memory device, for example static random access memory (SRAM) or dynamic random access memory (DRAM) devices. For example it has been found that advanced SRAM devices are more susceptible to cosmic ray induced errors.
In SRAM memory cells, for example, straps (electrical ties) may be periodically included in memory cell arrays to tie a source line to well region so as to create equivalent voltages thereby increasing device stability. For example, a well region potential may become unstable if there is any leakage current in the well region. An unstable well potential can correspondingly produce undesirable threshold or sub-threshold voltage instability. Therefore, the straps improve the voltage stability of the memory cells formed in the well region (e.g., P-well or N-well).
A strap may be included periodically in memory cell arrays to provided well stability, for example every 4, 16, 32 etc. cells. One problem with fewer straps is an increase in the SER. On the other hand, increasing the number of straps necessarily increases the size of the memory cell.
There is therefore a need in the semiconductor device processing art for a semiconductor device and method for forming the same whereby the size of the device may be reduced while improving device reliability performance.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a semiconductor device and method for forming the same whereby the size of the device may be reduced while improving device reliability and performance, in addition to overcoming other shortcomings of the prior art.